BusinessWeek: January 11, 1993

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FAULT DEADBEAT PARENTS, NOT NO-FAULT DIVORCE

Gary S. Becker's proposed change in policy, and one befitting a University of Chicago economist, is to depend exclusively on the marketplace to work its wonders by mandating that before a divorce is granted, the consent of the woman be required ("Finding fault with no-fault divorce," Economic Viewpoint, Dec. 7). This presumably would result in the wife being able to coerce her husband into agreeing to a financial settlement of a sufficient amount to provide his wife and children with an acceptable standard of living. The more a husband wants to end a marriage, the larger the settlement would potentially be. Life can sure be simple to an economist.

A major reason for the precarious financial condition of many divorced women and their children is that all too often, negotiated financial settlements, which could provide women with a decent standard of living, are not maintained by husbands. Not enough is being done to force them to abide by these agreements. Becker's proposal, while it could increase the amount of some financial settlements, would do little to address the fact that state governments collect on less than 20% of the cases of child-support nonpayment. More important, his proposal would again enable one partner to enslave the other by refusing to consent to a divorce.

Lester E. Block, Past Director

Program in Public Health

Administration

University of Minnesota

Minneapolis



The bottom line remains the enforcement of existing laws. How do you get deadbeats to pay? How do you get a dangerous spouse to honor court orders to stay away? How do you get an otherwise good person to visit their children? Mutual consent solves none of these. It's like saying, "Gee, that dog bit me. Maybe if we call it a cat..."

Linda R. Knudsen

Wichita
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